Why doesn't it surprise me.....

[RaceTime]

that AVESCo have been unable to find a replacement series sponsor for the V8 SoupCar series after Shell pulled out? (as reported in the Melbourne Herald-Sun this morning - http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...E12173,00.html )

Maybe this indicates one of two things (well maybe two out of two really):

1. AVESCO are getting too greedy and asking (trying to ask) too much for the series)

2. Major sponsors see little value in the series as a whole

3. Sponsors see the glory days as having already peaked...

[Morris 1100]

I think it is a sign of success that the Chapionship has the same naming right sponsor as two of their showcase races!


Now should I prequalify or just take them to court?

[Emfa]

Hmmmm, interesting article... (I note the use of the phrase "the best race of the V8 Supercar season" when referring to Adelaide )

So, the series is booming? An anticipated 47 entries for Adelaide (27 guaranteed starts plus ~20 prequalifiers) - that's a bunch. Are they all just trying to get into the best race of the year?

Also, I know that the logistics must dictate it, but the idea of prequalifying at one circuit and then racing at another is just mind boggling.

[Alan Jones]

I'm speechless, the whole thing is a joke, pity it's a bad one.

Looks like cockheads head is stuck right where the sun don't shine

[redback]

Wouldn't it be nice if the guys could band together and just not bother pre-qualifying.I know sponsorship and the series commitments prevent it but Cocko would have egg on his face if the sports biggest draw cards didn't show up.

What about the Ingall/Larry/Richards thing? Do you think Larry is right or has he lost the plot?

[M Power]

Wow ! you mean Lowdnes might not make it . How goods this!
it one way to put some life in a dull another dull c'ship

[Amaroo Park]

What is it going to take for people to wake and realise that Cochrane and Avesco are NOT doing a good job and do something about it and get rid of them.

[Valve Bounce]

Personally, I am getting sick and tired if seeing just two makes in the series. I always have this fantasy of BMW shoving a V8 into their M3 and use the thing to blow off these Holdens and Falcons. OK, it's just me, and I am sure everyone else loves to see Holden vs Ford. Well!! why can't both Holden and Ford sponsor this series then? Shell doesn't make a thing out of me - I just go to the petrol station with the cheapest fuel each Tuesday morning, which just happens to be Mobil at Albion. I mean how many of you guys front up to a Shell station because they sponsor this series?
By the way, WREX has been very quiet lately, n'est pas?

[Flaggie]

Haven't BMW got a V8 in their ALMS cars? I'm sure that could be shoehorned into a 4 door Beemer body of some description.

Then there's the whole Avalon thing. People on other forums jump up and down about how it shouldnt be allowed to race coz it's FWD. Where's the difference between allowing it a V8 of some description, a holinger and a Ford 9 inch based diff? It's no different to the possibility of having Commodores with twin wishbone suspension (possibly)...

Tony and AVESCO, just go away, and make your money somewhere else. Leave the motor sport to real motor sport people.

[racer69]

I agree fully with everyone.

The sooner Cochrane and AVESCO have gone the better. Wouldn't it be great if some of the retired greats like Brock, Bond or Grice were interested in running championships, the series would be much better off.

On more manufacturers, couldn't agree more. I'm not sure about changing FWD to RWD, it would basically be sportscars then, not Touring Cars, but the likes of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus etc.. all have suitable rear drive cars with V8 engines, maybe even if they relaxed the rules a bit to allow smaller cars or 2 door cars as long as they had 4 seats etc... that would be pretty good to watch. cut the aero aids as well.

[Buckshot]

I really enjoy the V8s though I think the AVESCO will have trouble getting decent support races this year with PROCAR becoming even more indepent. But the bigger V8 races may compensate for that - we'll have to wait and see. Also with PROCAR now almost gone from V8 events alltogether it will give other smaller categories a chance to support the V8s exposing them to an audience that may not normally get to see them.

I look at the Bathurst DVD box set I'm working my way through and see how much more professional the whole show looks now compared to 10 or even 5 years ago.

V8 Supercar is all about Holden Vs Ford...a formula which works extremely well and should not be tampered with. Not every race fan is like most of us here who will watch anything on 4 wheels race.

[racer69]

Even though AVESCO/Cochrane go on about it, I'm not sure that many people would care if more manufacturers were allowed in, as long as Holden and Ford were still competing. The only reason we have 2 make racing now is because it was forced upon us by CAMS, not because other manufacturers had pulled out, but because Holden and Ford couldn't win and threatened to pull out, so Nissan and BMW were basically kicked out of the championship, and before that Toyota.

[Amaroo Park]

Racer I don't agree that it was all Cams and the Manufacturers. At Bathurst in 1991 Ford and Holden relesed a joint statment saying that if the new rules where not set down for 1992 and beyond by 31/12/91 then they would have no choice but to withdraw from the ATCC.
Cams then went and pacified Ford and GMH by announcing that for 1992 the GTR would be nobled with weight and pop off valve, the Sierra 7500rpm rev limit, BMW 9,800 rpm rev limt and the Commodore would run as per 1991. At this time the 1993 rules where not announced.

During May of 1992 John Large (Then President of CAMS)was going to Fia in Paris and leaving John Keefe in charge. Mike Raymond put a lot of pressure on Large to announce a new set of V8 rules that had been suggested before he went overseas. Raymond was concerned quote "While the cheifs away the others will play". What was feared was John Keefe announcing that for 1993 Australia would be going 2lt racing. So with Raymond using the leverage that unless it was V8's channel 7 would be out, CAMS was pushed into a corner.

[racer69]

i stand corrected, thanks for the info colinbond

I think i also read that part of the problem was the FIA, CAMS were waiting to see what the FIA's Touring Car Formula would be but the FIA were taking their time about it, which obviously didn't help.

Unfortunatly that decision has made the manufacturers feel unwelcome in aussie touring cars. Sure they could go in ST, but it wasn't really seen as the premier formula. Cochrane/AVESCO say that if multi manufacturers is what was wanted, ST would have worked, but as i said it wasn't seen as the premier formula, unlike ATCC.

[knackaneal]

Is AVESCO spelt C A R T ??? Story sounds familiar somehow.